FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Results

ELMHURST, Ill. (Oct. 31, 2009) - After placing second the past two seasons, the North Central College women's cross country team returned to the top of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin awards podium on Saturday, outdueling runner-up Wheaton College in a tooth-and-nail battle at Eldridge Park.

The Cardinals prevailed by the slimmest of margins, as their team score of 48 points was one point better than Wheaton's total of 49. The Thunder gained an early advantage when junior Jennifer Parisi placed second overall in 23:51.5. Parisi followed Illinois Wesleyan University's Kerry Devitt, who won the CCIW individual crown in a time of 23:15.3 on the 6,000-meter (3.75-mile) course.

Lauren Hooks and Amanda Laesch were the Cardinals' top finishers, placing fourth (24:02.4) and sixth (24:07.8), respectively, but Wheaton countered with Sara Greeley and Sarah Beasley, who placed seventh (24:10.8) and eighth (24:14.3).

Alicia Zimmerman crossed the line 10th in 24:28.6 and Kate Lueders finished in 24:33.8 to place 11th, leaving the team scores tied at 31-31. Krista Cota clinched the victory for North Central, outsprinting the Thunder's Martha Bentz. Cota placed 17th in 24:54.6, while Bentz was 18th in 24:57.7.

Hooks, Laesch, Zimmerman and Lueders each received All-CCIW honors, while Hooks became the third Cardinal in the past four seasons to be named the conference's Freshman of the Year.

The Cardinals travel to Oshkosh, Wis., for the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional Championships. The women's race is set to begin at 11 a.m.